


Beauty is Subjective

by Kosei



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: Fuck yeah first iX/Nightmare, Gay Robots, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rockman X6 | Mega Man X6, Takes place after X6, Ugly color palette, idk what to tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28021971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kosei/pseuds/Kosei
Summary: iX has once again risen from the scrapyard and will destroy X, his ultimate enemy.The Nightmare has been left there with the hope of escaping lost. Forever doomed to wander, each day losing more grip of his sanity.But as it is, iX is more beautiful to him than anyone else.
Relationships: X/Zero (Rockman), iX/Zero Nightmare (Rockman)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	1. The Scrap Yard

"It's him..."

Mavericks, held together with fragile wires whispered to each other, shivering the sight of the menacing figure that stood above them on top of a giant pile of scrap and junk. 

"Shut up," the other hissed, "If he notices you, you never know what he'll do. He could rip us apart with barely any effort and you know it."

"I used to be a great leader..." the maverick said with despair. His big furry paws were worn and coated in oil. The well taken care of fur was matted and dry. Revealing the shiny exoskeleton underneath. His once sharp claws dulled down to simple fingernails that were closer to butter knives. The tips had broken off, splintering into useless pieces. He closed his fists. Throwing his head back, the once-proud Crescent Grizzly held back tears, preventing himself from using his already small supply of water.

"I was once someone greater... Now... I'm in a place that I would tell to others, people I hated them- When I couldn't stand them-"

The name of it to them was like a slur, words used to be spat at others like bile, hate, and contempt on their tongue.

_"You belong in the **scrap yard**."_

That was their prison, that kept them from the outside world, as cruel as it was. It was what they deserved. 

He yelled to the heavens, "IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF X AND ZERO!"

"Are you crazy?! Shut up- he's going to come over here-" Was the last thing Dark Necrobat ever said. Someone grabbed him by the chest, tearing him open. His wings, withered away by time, and his glass monocle, his only possession, the only thing that reflected who he was, it all shattered into pieces. 

The scrap parts collapsed. 

"Y-you!" Grizzly growled and lashes out at him, slapping him with his dull claws. 

It barely makes a dent. Then- if it's a reploid, it grins wildly, it's teeth sharp, and white as snow in the darkness. 

Without any effort, Crescent Grizzly gasps and shivers, letting out those tears he wanted to hide. 

"y-you..." his voice creaked, and his eyes dulled, rolling into the back of his head. "M-monster..."

The animaloid collapsed, now a husk to be scavenged. 

The being stood in silence. Eyes radioactive green.

"...I'm sorry... I don't mean for this to happen. I never want it to happen... but I can't control it... "I-I can't control when... I lose my sanity. I'm sorry-" the figure paused. His voice strengthened, no longer quiet, but sounded perplexed. " ...Crescent Grizzly? Dark Necrobat? X must have defeated them. I have to return to him. "

...

"No way, that's a myth."

"How many reploids around here have their chests plunged open?"

"I swear it happened! I'm still alive after I met him, he said sorry, and he rushed off without another word!"

"Sure you did."

"I'll give you a piece of energy next time I find some, you clearly need it."

"What are you losers talking about?"

"Ah! Dynamo!" Neon Tiger twitched slightly, his ear fell off when he turned too quickly and the former maverick cursed under his breath, putting it back in place. Dynamo casually slid off the pile of scrap, Unlike the mavericks before him, he looked the same as the day he arrived. Probably because it was by choice, unlike how the others were just scrap, Neon Tiger thought bitterly. But he was old as well. it was amazing he still had a lot of him intact. Well, he was missing an arm. Sometimes he lost his voice for a few days. It was a miracle he was alive at all. Still, he was envious of Dynamo, and his companions who were... _recent._ They were mostly held together, with a few scratches and bumps. He could only be in silent sympathy knowing that one day they would look like him. If they weren't killed by death. The being that retired still alive mavericks. 

Yammark or Commander Yammark clutched his head in agony, "I should have gone with X and Zero! I'm so stupid! Of course, Gate would have betrayed me!"

Shield Sheldon (Or just Sheldon, or Shelly if you wanted to annoy him) snapped at him. "How stupid are you? Gate was a maverick! He didn't betray me! He didn't betray us!" he sighed, and sat on the muddy ground. "...I was a naive idiot. Defeating him wouldn't have brought back Doctor..."

They were also when they still had remorse for what they had done, and spent their days sighing and (whining) about it. Neon Tiger was way over that. Dynamo shrugged, "You're talking about him, aren't you? I've seen him a few times. he's not that bad. Everyone in this place is a coward. Unlike me."

"You ran away from the fight with X and Zero."

Dynamo's face colored slightly at the reminder from Sheldon. "Well sure-"

"We didn't run from the fight even if we knew we would probably lose!" Yasmmark exclaimed.

"Ha! I didn't just run away I won against Zero!" Neon Tiger smirked.

"Well, we all left or whatever. I belong amongst you all my brothers!" They all rolled their eyes at him.

"Everyone else has had their weapons deactivated. You came here by choice." Yammark grumped. 

"Anyway, he's old news-"

"Maybe for _you."_ Neon Tigerinterrupted with a growl, proud for once he didn't cough into a fit afterward. "He's new to me. I've been in this scrap yard for too long... And it's only after you arrived that he stalked this place, killing when he wanted."

"You said it used to be a small field right?" Dynamo chewed on a toothpick. 

"Yeah. What about it?"

"You should have left."

Neon tiger let out a long sigh. Agreeing with him, "I should have. When I still had the chance... Now it's... Endless. And I'm too weak to... I wish I could see the rainforest again. Is the species there still alright? The cockatoos were going extinct. Is someone else protecting them?" 

He didn't like thinking like that. When he did, it depressed him endlessly, and then he would be horrified, almost sick at the thought that they weren't safe. And it was his fault.

It was more likely they stationed someone else there.

Dynamo shrugged, "Eh, who cares."

He gave him a pissed off glare. 

Dynamo continued, "Bad news is that I didn't find any energen, we're going to have to all go together."

Sheldon sighed, "Is there at least some good news?"

"No."

"Alright!" Neon Tiger stretched, "let's see if we can find anything today. If we're lucky, maybe we can find some cash and Dynamo will buy us some instead of being a cheapskate."

Everyone laughed, but they knew it was hollow. But it was also, the only ounce of laughter in this wasteland. They passed against reploids that completely lost their sanity, their programming screwed beyond repair. They scuttled like rats, scavenging what they could. A common sight for lower-ranked reploids or mavericks. They passed by one that was chewing on scraps of metal with a blank look in his eyes. The sound of teeth scraping against metal would forever haunt him as well disgust him. Even if their parts were no longer sentient, chewing on it like that was like human eating flesh. Still, it was normal, in their hellscape of life.

His ear picked up a noise, which happened rarely. It had twitched with a shudder.

_"I can't move..."_

"I hear something."

"You sure you're not going crazy?"

He looked around and shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I think a reploids crushed under something."

"Eh..." Dynamo said, then shrugged. "Too bad for them." 

Sheldon shook his head, "That isn't right... You all know it isn't." 

Yammark griped again, "I don't trust it." 

"..." Neon Tiger looked out, "If you were in the same situation, wouldn't you want someone to help you?"

"Maybe so..." He looked cross, " but I would rather not take the chance for my wings." The dragonfly wings fluttered slightly. The only one who's wings were still intact. Just to the side, they could see someone who was less fortunate, whose wings were metal skeletons ripped and torn into small pieces. 

"You just don't have the energy to take off."

"No, I'd be gone by now."

"Meh, It's not really that bad in here, you all are overreacting."

"Nobody asked you Dynamo."

I'm being serious, all of you. I'm going to find whoever it is out there, I'll catch up with you later."

"..." Sheldon looked worried, "I don't want to lose you to Death, Neon. Didn't you hear that Grizzly and Necrobat were killed just the other night?"

"I have more things to worry about than just him. I've survived here in the days of repliforce! I'm a mean old bitter fucker and I won't let someone else just sit there and die! If I die, fine, I've had it with this damn planet anyway. Full of nothing good anyways, reploids were a mistake."

"Humans were the mistake!" Yammark yelled after him, "They created us after all!" He paused, looking to his companions, "He's serious. Never thought he was the stupid type."

"Hm..." Dynamo was thoughtful, "I'm sure he'll be fine. he really is a stubborn old reploid, isn't he?"

"Eh... Got that right... Like an old man."

Sheldon crossed his arms, "I'm sure he'll be fine... Probably."

"Probably?"

"Nothing is set in stone after all. He can only blame himself if we lose him."

"I can still hear you!" Neon Tiger shouted, and then didn't hear what they said next. He looked around the scrapyard, giant piles and rustling made it hard to pick up exactly what it was but he had a feeling- "

"There you are!" he swept some junk off a pile, and he was met with a hiss. A reploid blinked at him with red eyes, scowling in the small light of the sun, and he was indeed stuck in a giant scrap pile. He only saw his face, and his turquoise-colored weapon on his arm, but only one thing came to mind.

"...You look like-"

"I know what you are thinking. Don't fucking say it!" he snapped, and shifted, grunting slightly. The reploid in clear discomfort. "Help me out here?"

"Oh right! Right right right... Give me a second."

He came closer, and dug his arms into the scrap metal, tugging on him. The trapped reploid gritting his teeth, "Come on! Come on! Get me out!"

"I'm trying!" Neon Tiger, huffed and puffed, but nothing happened. He groaned and sighed. His grip let go, and he huffed, and puffed, bending over onto his knees.

"You are already tired?" He growled with dissatisfaction. Neon Tiger held his paws up, "Shit, I'm not exactly in the best shape here, and I'm trying to do you a favor here, quit being a dick."

"Do you have any idea who I am?"

"No," he responded 

"I-" he gloated, "am iX!"

"..." Neon Tiger pondered what he said. "Icks... iX... Iiiicks..." he sounded out the word. And closed his eyes, Neon Tiger crossed his arms, he thought and thought and thought. "That sounds... so familiar. Did... you know Dr. Doppler?"

"He was my creator."

"Aha!" Neon Tiger snapped his fingers, "Knew it! I wasn't his, but he did take me under his wing... so to speak." He rubbed his chin, "God it's been so long since I've seen a model that's been around since the Doppler days. Ah... I heard Blaster Hornet became a Hunter again after he was defeated... Blizzard Buffalo is a sculpturist, didn't see that coming." He tapped his foot thinking further. "Shit it's been a while huh?" he laughed, another name popping to mind. "Oh! And Toxic seahorse! Ah... No that's a sad one... Poor kid... He wasn't really cut out for it, a big crier..."

iX growled and slammed his fists in frustration. "Listen here! I don't give a shit about any of this! Get me out of here!"

"You're a mouthy little fucker aren't you?"

iX flashed his teeth at him, "You wanna see if I can bite?"

"You coulda asked nicely you know."

iX was genuinely shocked for a few moments, but that did not last long. "How fucking stupid can you be?! I'm trapped in a pile of scrap metal and you stand there, blabbing on about a bunch of reploids I don't know, and if I did know them it's been years, so I couldn't even remember them! You want me to be polite?!"

"Preferably-"

"Go to hell then. I'll get out of here myself."

"Eh? Wait- hold on. How are you planning on doing that?"

"I'll figure it out. I don't need your help. Get out of here already and leave me alone." He twisted around with a grunt, squeezing his eyes shut. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He winced with pain. 

"..." Neon tiger didn't offer to help. He looked to the side, and saw.... that figure. Over the distance, looking down at him. It hopped down from the scrap pile, disappearing from sight. 

"Uh oh."

"What?!" iX looked at him, "What do you mean uh oh?!"

"Hope he doesn't come over here before you get free. From what I heard, you're dead if he does."

"I'm strong enough! I can defeat anyone, even like this."

He didn't hide how he rolled his eyes. Unease went up his spine when he saw his dirty hair, billowing like dried hay. It was the flag of death. 

"No, seriously, we need to get out of here before we die. I promised my friends I would be back, and I'm not letting them down! YA!" he gripped him and pulled him out, Neon Tiger dragged him out of the danger zone, and far from the grim reaper of the scrap yard. Although, he hissed and complained like a cat, ungratefully might he add.

"let me go let me go you fucking asshole!"

"Believe me, if you like living you will let me carry you!" 

"What?"

"Oh hey Neon Tiger is back-"

He crashed into Shielded Sheldon, he muttered an annoyed ow. 

Dynamo lifted his red glasses to better look at them, his grey eyes unclouded. "my, my what's all this? "

"Ugh!" iX shoved Neon Tiger away and lifted himself up.

"Why do you-" 

"You say his name and I kill you."

"My, my my my my!" Dynamo circled around him, iX was once again perplexed and watched him run around him in circles. "You are one peculiar reploid. Aren't we lucky to have found you?'

"Bite me."

"I would, gladly. But I'm not really in a kinky mood."

" _Ew. "_

"Ew is right Dynamo, nobody wants to hear your kinks." Neon Tiger finally grabbed his footing. 

"I thought we didn't kink shame here."

"We don't kink shame unless it's you!" Sheldon exclaimed, and they all laughed again. iX looked through all of the reploids around him and shook his head. 

"I don't want to be your companions all of you are clearly idiots-"

"Idiots?! You're a nasty mouthy little asshole! I saved you back there from being killed!"

"Oh really? By who? No one can match up to me."

"Oh I can think of a person, he even looks like you-"

"Shut up!" iX snapped. 

"Was it really worth straying from the pack and risking your life to rescue someone who is clearly ungrateful?" Yammark asked and tutted, "See this is why I don't trust anyone. I still don't sleep around people unless I'm wide awake and able to watch you."

"No wait hold on..." Neon lifted a hand, "He's a stupid fucker. But he has the right to be stupid. He doesn't get it yet, the danger."

"From my perspective, all of you are criminally insane."

"Criminal? Yes, certainly." Dynamo twirled a chain around his finger, "Maybe insane. I'm not sure on that one, I'll ask the voices."

" _But_. He'll get it soon. I'm sure about that, give it a couple of days."

"I don't hang out in groups. I'm not a maverick hunter."

"Sure look like one."

" _I said not to mention him."_

"We ain't trying to be mean you angsty little bitch, we're trying to help you out. Going on your own is total suicide, especially since we just had a brush with Nightmare he's still close by."

"...Nightmare?"

"You've never heard of him?!" Sheldon and Yammark looked at Dynamo who was just as confused. "how long have you been out of commission for?"

"He told me he's an older type model," Neon said, "Doppler's his old man."

"Man... Doppler, next you'll tell me he thinks Repliforce is still in town."

"Hey, sure feels like it, dunk your head in any of these piles and you'll find something with their logo. They really had the guns to run this town eh?" Neon Tiger laughed. 

"...Appreciate you went out of your way to rescue me, but you have gotten all you can out of me." iX snarled, "If you're wanting some other type of gratitude you aren't getting it. " iX turned away, going to stomp off.

"Hold on!" Neon Tiger tried to hold onto him. "We're the only one's- the only thing left of Doppler and his creations. We need to stick together."

"I don't need to do anything!' He ripped his grasp away, and he made a mental note to not do that again. He narrowed his eyes. Eyeing the state he was in. 

"You're clearly banged up from some sort of fight." 

He only huffed in return, "That's not your concern, is it? Like I've said before. I don't exactly make note of people like you. I only have one goal in mind. This is just a temporary set back. I will not be defeated. I will not be shamed like this! X may live for now, but when I repair myself, I'm leaving his damned place, and I will kill him!"

"...Poor kids in denial." Yammark shook his head.

"You're a pathetic piece of scrap if you think I'm the one in denial!"

"I'm not the one to usually say this Neon Tiger, but I think you should let him go and let him get killed by himself if he wants." Shield Sheldon remarked. 

"..." He looked up to the stars. 

"I know. But it's so strange to find anything of the past I left behind when I came here. it's not really all that bad though when I have you guys."

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"You don't get it now, but there is more than vengeance, I'm tired of thinking of ways to get it. It's really not worth it. when the stars are so beautiful right here... "

"..." iX glanced at the setting sun. Neon Tiger was already enjoying the view of the sparkling, brilliant stars. 

"Moron."

_Ouch_

"I'm not such a fucking dumbass that I don't know there are things other than revenge. Your attempts to sound profound royally piss me off. Who even cares about the stars anyway, you can see them just about anywhere," he waved them off as though they were just rambling. 

"Hold on, hold on, it's getting dark. You can't see much out there can ya?"

"Maybe if you're dated enough. I can see in the dark. Built-in night vision." he tapped the side of his face, where his eyes were. "I already made myself clear, I don't like going around in circles. All it sounds like to me is excuses as to why you gave up hope. I've made myself clear- I am not like you all. I will destroy X where so many have failed. I am simply better than him. I was designed to be. he destroyed me, killed me, ripped me apart. But I came back. I was dead, I was destroyed, it was agony, but I came back. because of my own willpower! My determination! Nothing is setting back! Nothing! Not even you and your posse will set me back!"

"...You... really are deranged. It ain't worth chasing you after all," Neon Tiger declared, "If you want to go and kill yourself, fine. Don't say I never warned you if I find your corpse beside a giant pile of scrap."

iX sneered at him, "I already said what I'm going to do. I don't make false promises."

Then he left, scrunching behind pieces of metal, that splintered and broke apart under his feet.

"You did all you could."

Neon Tiger shrugged, "I did. I guess..."

"Don't worry about it..." Yammark was vulnerable for a moment, speaking softly, "We've all lost a lot, but an asshole like that deserves to be lost."

He shakes his head, "I can't even agree with that. I mean... he's probably not that happy all things considered. You heard how anal he was about not being compared to X. His own name is practically his. It's got to be miserable being compared to someone who keeps besting him."

"You think the Nightmare feels that way?"

"...Probably. But that implies that he has... anything about him that makes him comparable to a reploid. He's completely insane."

"All I know is today was a complete failure." Sheldon was cross.

"He's right." Yammark sighed, "No Energen, no Zenny. We found absolutely nothing."

"Hm~ Time to head back then." Dynamo shrugged, "There's always tomorrow."

"Yeah right. the new scrap shipment was today. Someone else has already picked it over by now."

"Probably," Dynamo agreed, "But we have to believe. I mean, what else can we do."

"Fair point."

"What?! Don't agree with him, Tiger!"

"Sorry Yammark, I do. All we can do is hope."

"That's stupid. Hope doesn't get us anywhere."

"Yeah, and you're right about that too."

"Then why do you even bother?"

"What else is there?"

"...True."


	2. The Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmare is strange

iX huffed with anger, annoyance even. Digging through piles of scraps with only one good arm, shoulder aching to all high heaven would do that to you. Hurt it did, he had to grip it to keep himself sane, to keep himself in check. So he could focus.

"Dammit..."

He hissed. There was so much to go through. And so much of it was pure junk. Useful parts were rusted over. Other parts were from reploids decades behind the mounting upgrades and improving technology. Or, were parts to animaloid reploids, sometimes parts that were severely outdated. For reploids that he hadn't heard of functioning for... years, years and years and years. While he was finding things that suit him, they were few compared to the sea of trash. From the pieces he was finding, he was happy. Knowing that he would look different from how he would before. _Ugh._ He was still mistaken for X, and he still looked like him. He wouldn't look like them this time. This time, he would be different. 

It wouldn't be like when he was first activated.

_"Welcome to the world, my glorious creation!"_

He lifted his gaze to the mirror, and all the circuits in his mind, his body, burned alight. iX hissed, " _I've found you, Megaman X!"_

His creator screamed with haste, _**"No!"**_

But it was too late. His hard work was already pulling himself apart. Through the pain, iX screamed with pleasure. As the oil dripped through his finger, he saw the destruction of who he was built to destroy and laughed and laughed. His circuits burned and he cried, shaking as he felt his body dull into a slow death. 

_"I've destroyed him! I've destroyed him! I've won! I've won! I've defeated Megaman X-"_

A shiver went up his spine again. He decided to put that aside, decidedly forever. He wiped the grease off his palms and glanced around. Ending up staring at the twinkling stars. 

He scoffed at the stupidity of the animaloid reploids. He isn't a moron, he knows what there isn't and is to live. He would have all the time in the world to look at the stars when he was done. X wasn't dead yet, so he would continue to work at being stronger and stronger each day than he was the day before. They, _X_ the moron sure thought he was, else he wouldn't be in this dump. From the sound of it, many mavericks here were killed at his hands and had completely given up. That made him feel smug, even a little self riotous. he didn't stop it from letting it get to his head. He wondered what the look on their faces would be, as the news spread far and wide. Farther than he could even imagine, the voices of everyone, who they would all be thinking. That the great Megaman X, _the_ savior of reploids and humans, dead at his hands. The rush he would feel would be glorious. What he's worked and worked for. All would know of iX. And no one could ever mistake him for X. Ever again.

"This is just a minor setback," he said out loud. "This is a step to something more."

He moved aside a piece of trash and nearly shouted with glee. He recovered a bright red power gem that glowed dully, but still alive with energy. That filled him with joy, and he grinned to himself. 

But there was more than just that. Someone was close his sensors whispered to him weakly and went offline. It was a warning. His nerves prickled and stood on end. He shivered and stepped forward to run when he had a thought. They would attack, they likely wanted the red power gem he had. And if they wanted the power crystal he would rather beat them over the head with it than let them have it. 

"I know you're out there!" He challenged them with firm conviction. "Show yourself!" 

It was silent.

"...Damn sensors."They were likely faulty. It wasn't very likely they were working at full capacity, after all. He kept his hearing sensitivity high, listening to everything. Distant rustling, movement, not close, the chirping of a bug. A cricket, singing in the darkness of night. He looked around, trusting himself to pick up even the slightest movement. Despite all these precautions, the sensor in his head pinged louder and louder with each passing second, and he couldn't see anyone approaching. He shivered, not with fear of course, but prepared himself, holding his buster out.

Then, he heard it. a slight giggle, like someone gurgling salt water. He didn't have time to turn down his earing sensitivity and blasted in the direction of it. When his ears stopped ringing, and his vision focused, he huffed, and he puffed with annoyance. Still, he couldn't-

The giggle was right behind him. He immediately turned to face it, but they were quicker. He felt the crush, the tight pressure on his throat first before he realized what had happened. He choked, his throat crushed slightly. He met the reploid with red eyes and narrowed his eyes back. But, he didn't even get time to get a good look at his face before his expression dropped, and his eyes cleared to a vivid, almost neon green. He let go of his throat and stepped back. 

"...X?"

_Oh, fuck you._

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

He blinked at him a few times. Clarity blossomed in the back of his skill, lighting up his eyes. "Oh. No... you're not him. Sorry..." he flushed. 

"Obviously. You would have to be a moron to think I was." Then he snarled, "The hell is your problem anyway?!"

"...Oh... that..." The stranger blushed a deep red and stroked his long hair slightly. He didn't make eye contact. "...I... I can't control myself..."

"The fuck do you mean?"

"...I can't... something... overtakes me, and then I'm unable to fight against it... And I can't.... stop myself from hurting people. I really don't... mean to do it, but I can't stop myself from doing things... that hurt people. I-I swear I don't mean to-"

"Why can't you stop yourself?"

He shrunk back slightly, "It's like... there's something inside me, that wants to destroy and kill everything... I don't know why it's there, and how it got there. I just know it is there..."

Something clicked in his head. _No fucking way. "_ What's your name?"

"I suppose it's Nightmare. It's what I've always been called. "

" _You're Nightmare?!_ The one apparently everyone here is so scared of?"

"Yes." He didn't deny what he said. iX looked him over. Long hair, an ashy, almost purple-grey. Chipped and scuffed purple armor, stained with black oil. his hands were worn at the timps, the skeleton underneath smooth and shin. His lips were scuffed up, with a scar at the corner of the mouth. He wasn't as rough as Neon Tiger, but the rain was not kind to him, nor were the blistering sands and dust, or even the heat of the intense sun. The skin was worn at the very tip of his nose, leaving it shiny. Like some sort of demented Rudolf. 

"...Strange. You don't really deserve the name Nightmare." He wasn't that terrifying. Was he supposed to be scared? he wasn't like those- those _other_ reploids of the scrapyard. he was clearly a much better breed. Then all the other pitiful creatures, so sad, feeling so damn sorry for themselves.

Nightmare hesitated. "Do I deserve worse?"

Well, no.

"Don't be dramatic, that isn't what I'm implying. For looks alone... Well, I don't think Nightmare. Who named you that?" iX demanded.

"MY creator. His name... was...' he trailed off and his eyes went perfectly blank. He was just as still, iX was just about to ask if he went offline when he froze right back into reality. "Gate." Nightmare tilted his head up. Proud of himself for remembering.

"That's right. X killed him. He deserved it, he was maverick."

Sounded familiar. Recovering from the strangeness of it all, 

"I never understood my creator. He... wasn't rational in the time I knew him. He... had completely fallen off what could be decided rationally. I don't even blame X for killing him."

"Feh, quit talking about him so positively," he rolled his eyes.

Nightmare shrugged. "I'm afraid I can't help it sometimes."

"Why's that? Why not?"

"...What do you mean?"

"Excuse you." he snapped at him, "What do you mean?"

"...Well... I mean... if you're the copy of X, don't you-"

iX slammed his hand into his throat. The nightmare didn't cry out, but he also didn't seem to enjoy it. Groaning and twisting his expression with displeasure. 

"I. Am. Not. His. Copy!" iX yelled through gritted teeth, "The only thing we have in common is my appearance. If you ever- EVER say that again I will fucking tear you to shreds do you understand me?!"

Silence, his eyes blank, almost glassy.

"I said- GHK-"

Nightmare put his hands around his throat. iX gasped, "What are you-" and met his suddenly red eyes. He giggled, taunting him. Squeezing harder and harder. iX gasped and thrashed in his grasp, kicking his feet out. Panic surged him, when he realized he wasn't all there, he wasn't coming to grips with reality at all. he was just going to stand there, and squeeze until he crushed his throat and he died. His vocal cords tightened, unable to produce sound, and his voicebox sent alerts to his brain. till he choked out a message.

"Let... Go!"

He reached for his cheek and slapped it. The pile of scrap echoed the sound for all to hear. He's sure, that Neon Tiger and his fucked up posse noticed the loud sting. Delirious, Nightmare blinked until his eyes turned green. he jumped back, quickly letting go of him. He shivered and stuttered apologies. 

"I'm sorry- I swear I didn't mean to- it's what I mean, I can't control when it takes over-"

"Stop, stop, stop." he rubbed his sore neck and let out a relieved sigh when it popped. The warnings in his head stopped, and all seemed to be all clear... for now. 

"Just... stop it. I don't want to hear your excuses, you almost killed me- DONT."

he quickly closed his open mouth. iX continued, "I don't care, I don't care. I'm fine, I mean it if I am wanting to face X I need to take a hit better than that..." he rubbed his neck and sighed, "Asimov, get that strength under control." 

Nightmare looked at the ground, I've been trying for quite some time... I don't believe it's... even possible to control it. The darkness, i-"

"Don't describe it as the darkness you idiot or I'll puke.' iX glanced around, and took in a breath, "So, as I was saying, never- EVER. Call me his copy again. Do you understand me this time?"

"Sorry, sorry. I won't, I promise I won't do that. Er, on my honor, I will never compare you to X again. "

"You better not. You are sure as hell better not! If you do- I swear to God Everyone! Everyone, the first thing they said to me when Doppler activated was to compare me to X. He did base my design off his, but that was so I could be his rival in every way! In strength, in speed, it's fucking bullshot everyone just sees his face and sometimes even fucking assumes I'm him! I'm tired of it goddammit! Take me fucking seriously. I am the only one who has a chance to destroy him when no one else can!" 

"...Sorry."

"...Whatever, it is fine. I look like X, and you can't control yourself from freaking out and trying to kill people. One of us has got it worse."

"I think... it is my punishment for... all the lives I've taken. And the lives Zero has taken. His kill count rivals mine. And his past is just as dark as the one I'm cursed with."

"I don't know who Zero is and I don't care. I need to get out of here." iX moved on. 

"You... if... your design is based off X wouldn't you have your memories?"

"no? That's stupid. What would I need his memories for?" he scoffed.

"...I see." he calmly cleared his throat. 'In that case, I'll help you."

"Help me?" he sounded vulnerable for a moment, and he growled afterward, hiding his tone of voice from before. "I don't need your help. I'm not some sort of charity case." 

"I didn't say you were." he replied calmly, "I want to help you, I... have something t gain from X being defeated. So it's not like I'm offering to help out for the good of my heart. That, and I like you."

"..." he blinked a couple of times. "Like me? Heh, we'll see you about that. I think it's prime time I get a makeover anyway. I can't change my face unfortunately, it'll fuck up how the circuitry works underneath, but the more I add to myself, and more vivid the colors diverge from how he looks, the more different I'll look. I want you to go out, and look for whatever scraps I can use for armor. And especially any still working power gems. I know there has to be some since you keep randomly killing people."

"..." iX could see him visibly shrink. "...I really don't try to."

"...Yeah, I know. You've said it a few times before. It's not really your fault. "

"R-really? You think it's really not my fault?"

"No, it's because of your fucked up programming. Your creator must be bad at programming. Did they build you using only 'as if's?'"

Nightmare paused to understand him, mentally calculating. "...Apparently, before he had gone maverick, he was a genius. A reploid who built other reploids for a living... I'm not familiar with them, but I know they are his with the diamond in the middle of his forehead..."

He touched his forehead gem, a dull forest green. "Two large points on the top and bottom, two smaller ones on the side."

"..." Two of those reploids had the exact same characteristics he just described...

"Interesting," he said flatly. "With you and I looking, it'll be easier and I'll be able to beat him faster than just me alone," he grimaced, pain sharply and fresh, stinging through his arm. "...Some tools would also be useful." 

"Oh, right. Tools- I once hid and repaired myself." He blinked, "No that wasn't me."

He said it so fast it was hard to keep up. Weirdo. He couldn't help but think he was strange. it was sad, that it wasn't his fault. if it wasn't his fault he could write him off som much easier. Suddenly Nightmare bowed, his hair fanning out, almost upset. 

"I'll do my best. I'll find you everything you need."

"Do that." iX was already walking to a scrap pile and plunged in arm first. he could feel sharp and dull edges poking at his skin, he hissed, as one particularly sharp shard of _something_ jabbed right into him. he was pretty sure it was glass. He pulled, whatever it was dug even deeper into his skin. Biting back a scream, he grabbed something- anything- and pulled it out. Red waste product dripped down his arm. He grimaced at it. When the pain slowed, and it dripped down his arm, it eventually annoyed him more than hurt. He looked at what was his hand. A bright green shoulder piece. it was more of a metallic, robotic neon than a luscious forest green if that made any sense. But that was how he saw it. 

iX turned around, the Nightmare that stalked the wasteland had disappeared. Speaking of him, he was perplexed- almost... intrigued by the stranger he met. He never met someone like him. Someone... who was clearly insane yes, but... 

he was a maverick who showed compassion.

The stung through him unto his cord, and he almost visibly growled with annoyance. Compassion. He didn't want the top to hear it. He thinks about compassion he thinks about him. And he loathed thinking about him. 

"Ha! Ha!" iX grinned and fired with glee while X, the one he was destined to destroy grunted and shut his eyes. he fired blindly, unable to face himself? HA!

"How weak!" he yelled, his systems calibrated, and he knew where he would fire next would pierce right through his core. it would dismantle him and he could be victorious. 

But then- he didn't expect it- he deflected it. It smoldered against his arm, where it harmlessly bounced off. X's eyes were suddenly wide and clear. Determination flickered through them in such a human way it made his skin crawl. It wasn't exactly like Dr. Doppler's eyes, full of coldness. But it was human. iX already disliked him. He already disliked humans. putting both together wanted to make him throw up. Literally, puke. all the energen he consumed the days all over the ground he stood. Who could blame him? The words he said next just intensified the want, the need to destroy him.

"...You're based off me right?"

"Of course. Unfortunately, we have a similar face. But I-"

"- I am superior to you!" X mocked dryly, "yes yes I've heard it before. But why?"

"Why?" he scoffed, "I don't need to explain why! Especially for you!

"I'm being serious WHy do you fight! Why? because the one who created you told you to Why do you need to destroy me? Why... Why can't you have some compassion? So we can all come to an understanding... Because... you don't need to fight! You don't need to prove yourself to anyone."

He didn't even think about his words, the reploid gritted his teeth so hard he was surprised they didn't splinter and break. X actually stepped back, his determination falling into... Fear, no, he was never afraid of him.

he had the sense, X was coming to terms with something. 

"you're right." he finally said, voice edgy. his tone cold as ice. "I don't have anyone to prove myself to. The only one I'm proving anything to is MYSELF! I AM THE ONLY ONE I HAVE TO PROVE TO! I am stronger than you! My will is stronger than you! and I don't care... I don't care how many times it takes. How many times you rip me apart. How many times you pretend to be better than me. I will one day triumph over you! I will destroy you! I PROMISE! I SWEAR! TO KILL YOU!"

X closed his eyes. "I was hoping... that we were similar."

"I am nothing like you!"

his voice raised, "I noticed." then he raised his buster, he said, with the least amount of enthusiasm he could muster, "let's get on with it."

He didn't understand him. And iX did not want to. His understanding of him wouldn't aid him in finally ending his life. The less he knew about him, the better he was. 

**Author's Note:**

> Winner of the Twitter poll! I'll aim for an update of this every week, but the results may vary.


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